Stok Kangri

My friends are goin on trek to Stok kangri. They received this schedule from an travel agent. does this looks realistic?? Need your opinion on it..

Stok to Chilling trek with Stok Khangri Climbing
Day 01 Leh to Stok to Mankarmo Morning drive to Stok village that takes around 15 kms from Leh. Start walking from the trekking point along the river left side of right side of the river. It’s easy but very long walks from through the valley. There are many shepherd camps in the different entrance of the sub valleys. The Mankarmo Camp is at the point from where the valley turns southward. It is possible to trek up to the first base camp but to get acclimatise, one is recommended to make it in two days. If you are a god trekker or doing it after fully acclimatised then you go ahead. The Camp at Mankarmo is on the river bed.

Day 02 Mankarmo to Base Camp: Keep walking in the same direction for around 30 minutes and then head towards southward. Scramble along the tributaries passing through a few shepherd camps on the other side of the river. The camp is reached after vertical ascend which is nice camp but there is no toilet facilities. Take care of your food and cloths from animal around. Today you walk up to the advance base camp for acclimatization. The trail leads you towards west and then southward from the top of the hill. You will be passing through a few glaciers before you reach advance base camp from where you start crossing the glacier.

Day 03 Base Camp to summit to Base Camp: Keep your torch and other climbing gears ready for the early morning start. You should start at least by 4 am but it will be dark when you start in the morning. But it will be light by the time you reach advance base camp. It will be ideal to wait till there is a light enough to see the craves clearly. Start crossing the glacier towards south-east and then climb the peak to the western side. There are two ways to go up one from the right side of the glacier which more technical and the left side trail is more easier the steps of rocks. You can scramble back to the base camp from the same way you had climbed.

Day 04 Stok Khangri to Rumbak via Namlung la 4900m 5-6 hours After the breakfast start walking to Rumbak via Namlungla Pass. Overnight in Camp.

Day 05 Rumbak to Gandala Base 3-4 hours, Morning after breakfast, start your trekking to Gandala Base. Arrive Gandala Base, Lunch at Gandala Base and proceed for a short walk with wild life viewing or Rest. Overnight in the Camp.

Day 06 Yurutse to Kaya 6-7 hours, From Yurutse follow path along the mountain side, then cross a small valley and follow zig zag steep path. There after cross Ganda La pass (4380m). Then long descent towards Shingo. After 2 hrs of descent arrive in the valley of Markha and after few hundred meters you reach Kaya. Overnight in the Tent.

Day 07 Kaya to Chilling to Leh 4-5 hours, After the Breakfast walk towards Chilling cross Zangskar river and drive Back to Leh. Arrive Leh by evening. Overnight in the hotel.

My friend did Stok Kangri last August... [the ex-local secretary of Himalayan Club] He says seven days are too less. It should be a minimum ten days.

If you are already in Ladakh for around 5 to 6 days prior... you are well acclimatized and even then he says it should be eight days minimum.

But ALL trek operators are offering this seven day schedule..... and most people prefer to learn things the hard way....

Most people just fly into Ladakh and start trekking... not advisable.

My Pin Parvati group LOST a colleague due to this very reason in 2004.

They were really scared about Pin Parvati despite my assurances .... now of course... its in hindsight; they feel great. Some of them regained their confidence.

What can anyone say ???

It really depends on prior acclimatisation. You can do Stok Kangri even in 2 days from Leh if you are fit enough (day 1 - Stok to BC, day 2 - BC - summit - BC - Stok) but you have to be VERY WELL ACCLIMATIZED. That means you have spent quite some days on high altitude, crossing several passes over 5000m etc...
The proposed itinerary also require some prior acclimatization - not just hang around for 3 days in Leh. You reach BC the second day and there you are at 5000m - way to fast for not acclimatized. For instance doing Alchi - Chiling - Stok before climb would be a good preparation for the climb. At least trek from Chiling to Stok Kangri BC (opposite way than proposed) would be much better preparation for the climb. Since Stok Kangri is not technically demanding unsuccesful summiting is usually due to lack of acclimatization. To do it succesfully I would go for as much acclimatization as possible.
...which reminds me to add a picture of Stok Kangri to the gallery...

Everyone is right but what AVID is saying is sensitivity and intelligince !

Better take some time before you set foot for STOK KANGRI.

If YOU CAN handle high alti...you can do this in short span...and do not have to do circle of GANDA LA.

You can reach BASE CAMP via MANOKARMO and come back VIA same route.

This is easy climb but requires GOOD ACCLIMITIZATION.
Everyone is correct !
This is what adventure is all about...perhaps...choose your way !!!

hi

doing stok kangri base camp to summit and back to base camp with out enough prior acclamatization is a very ambitious and foolish thing to do ...

the program given by the tour operator isnt one bit conducive to participants.I guess to tour operator it makes no difference if you climb the mountain or not ....all they will be bothered abt is making all the money ...

what has worked for me so far on stok kangari when it comes to guiding clients up is setting up an advance base camp rite at the base of the climb ...start early the next day and you will have a successful summit ...

cheers
k

Yes-you are right and I have seen this with my own eyes.
ABC is definately required.

I do not want to name those very famous and popular agencies who were having whole BC booked in thier name...but what I went through was REAL inhumn and unprofessional approach....

ABC is definately required !!

yes i agree it does get a bit nasty if ur an outsider running a trip there ....though i personally have never had a problem because of strong ties in Leh and Stok .....

happy climbing

Jyoti !

ABC is required and I also advocate for ONE MORE DAY for better acclimitization.

Indeed - thats possible!
I treked Stok Kangri within two days after three weeks trekking over some 5000m passes...

phacops

phacops !
You are right and this can be done-although climbing STOK KANGRI in two days from STOK VILLAGE is a achievement...

Yes- basic rule is ACCLIMITIZATION !!

Guys, can any one provide link, address, contact no of a trek guide or a contact who can help hiring mules etc.

Nothing specific to add to the good advice already offered here.

General comment : a schedule that omits all altitudes the first three days shows that the travel agent is either unaware of the altitude issues , or aware that there may be cause for being sceptic. Neither inspires confidence.

A good schedule will list all sleeping elevations and max elevations , an excellent one will provide a elevation profile.

at least 3 days initial acclimatisation on reaching leh. Would be around 12 days minimm

Hello Kolobar,

Read your comments on Stok Kangri.

I just completed my Everest Base Camp trek, me and my guide cum porter, during which we touched a height of 19,250 ft.

I was now planning to do Stok Kangri in July, by hiring a guide cum porter cum cook and renting the equipment in Leh and doing it leisurely. I agree with you totally on breaking up the daily ascents to not more than 300-400 mtrs. Haste truly makes waste on mountains! Is it possible? Can you provide some details of any good agencies.? How many days will be needed for the total adventure? What is the difficulty level? Will I need to cross any crevasses, what tech equipment do I need? Will we find snow in July? How deep? What should be our route, which maybe longer, but provides proper acclimatization, which, if improper, I agree with you, could be the spanner in the works.

As I'm driving down from Delhi and back, and will be covering Zanskar too, could you recommend any other great treks...not too steep and non technical. ( I'm scared of walking on trails which are too narrow, exposed, and falls are very deep)

Is 16,000 rupees being charged by a trekking company too much or reasonable for a 4 day hike of Stok Kangri? That already includes the trek permit for foreigners.

Or would it be cheaper if I find another trekking company once I get to Leh?I am on tight budget.

Thanks.